Vapor electric apparatus.



J. T. HLDEMPSTBR.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1904.

1,091,563. Patented Mar. 31, 191i Witnesses: Inventor:

m Q/ ZZJ John T. H. Dempst er, W b W TINTTET STATES PATENT OFF-TCE.

JOHN T. H. DEMPSTER, 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914:.

Application filed April 4, 1904. Serial no. 201,486.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. H. DEM]?- srnu, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VaporElectric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to vapor electric apparatus such forexample as lamps or the like and comprises certain novel means wherebythe are or current flow may be started. Heretofore a high resistanceconductor extending between two electrodes has been used to start thearc. I have found that the starting may be accomplished by providing aseries of contact points spaced apart at intervals between theelectrodes and electrically connected to one of the electrodes.

' The novel features characteristic of the invention are pointed outwith particularity in the appended claims. The invention, itself,however, will be better understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which-Figure 1 represents, by way of illustration, one embodiment of myinvention, and Fig. 2 a modified detail.

In Fig. 1 the exhausted envelop of a mercury lamp is represented at 1and consists as shown of a tube of indefinite length having at the topthereof a condensing chamher 2. In the mouth of this chamber is locatedthe positive electrode or anode 3, while at the lower end of the tube abody of mercury 4 contained therein constitutes the cathode or negativeelectrode. At intervals in the length of the tube is located a series ofconducting buttons 5, 6, 7 and 8 each provided with a suitableleading-in.

conductor as at 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively. These buttons, like theanode 3, may be of carbon, graphite or the like though other materialsmay be used if desired. All of the buttons are connected electrically tothe positive lead or conductor 13 by which current is supplied to thelamp, but are separated from each other by resistances 14, 15, 16 and1'7, as shown.

A core 18 of magnetic material, cupped or hollowed out at the top so asto contain mercury, floats in the electrode 4 so that, when the lamp isunenergized, the mercury in the electrode 4. Owing to the presence ofthe resistance 14 this are, instead of continuing to exist between thebutton 5 and the mercury electrode or cathode 4, extends up to thebutton 6 and then, due to the resistances 15, 16 and 17, extendssuccessively from but-.

ton to button up the tube until it reaches the anode 3. The lamp is thusstarted readily without the use of a continuous filament in the lamp ashas heretofore been a common practice.

Instead of forming the initial starting are by submerging the plunger,such as shown in Fig. 1, I may instead use a construction as shown inFig. 2 in which the lower but ton 20 is itself movable under theinfluence of a solenoid 21 surrounding the lower end of the lamp tube22. The button in this case may consist either of a single piece ofmagnetic material of the form shown or it may consist of an internalcore 23 of iron or steel surrounded by a coating of graphite or carbon.In any event the button may be loosely mounted in a support 24projecting from theside of the tube 22 and arranged so that it will bedrawn up out of contact with the mercury cathode 25 when the solenoid isenergized. The initial are thus started extends upward to the mainanode, in this case not shown, in the same manner as described inconnection with Fig. 1.

It is evident that numerous modifications and adaptations of myinvention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof forwhich reason I do not wish to be limited to the exact details shown anddescribed.

. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of cooperating mainelectrodes, and bodies of conducting material spaced apart at intervalsbetween said electrodes.

2. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of cooperatingelectrodes, and a. series of conducting buttons or projectionselectrically connected to one of the electrodes and located at intervalsbetween said electrodes.

3. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of cooperatingelectrodes, a plurality of conducting projections placed apart from eachother and arranged between said electrodes, and resistances electricallyconnecting said projections to each other and to one of the mainelectrodes.

4:. The combination in an electric vapor apparatus, of main positive andnegative electrodes, a supplemental or starting positive electrode, anintervening multi-point electrode, and connections whereby the currentpasses successively along the points of said electrode.

' 5. The combination in an electric vapor apparatus, of a positiveelectrode, a negative electrode, and a multi-point electrode locatedbetween the same and connected with the positive electrode.

6. The hereinbefore described method of operating electric vaporapparatus, which consists in establishing a flow of current across ashort path within the device, and

automatically lengthening said path by defi-.

nite steps.

7. The hereinbefore described method of starting and operating anelectric vapor apparatus, which consists in initially establishing aflow of current through a relatively short section of the device,thereupon substituting successively longer portions of the device, andautomatically interrupting the initial connections.

8. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of electrodes, aplurality of elec trically connected conducting projections spaced apartfrom each other between said electrodes, and means for initiating an arcbetween one of said projections and one of said electrodes;

9. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of electrodes, aplurality of electrically connected conducting projections spaced apartfrom each other between said electrodes, and means for momentarilybringing one of said projections and one of said electrodes intoelectrical connection.

10. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of electrodes, aplurality of electrically connected conducting projections spaced apartfrom each other between said electrodes, and means for bringing one ofsaid projections and one of said electrodes into electrical connection.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this first day of April,1904.

JOHN T. H. DEMPSTER. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFoRo.

